“A little behind, nearly half-way between us and the peccaries, I saw a wide-spreading tree close to the trail. We had passed it at the first of the alarm. Ahead, as far as I could see, there was no such refuge. Plenty of trees there were indeed, but all standing off amid the swamps. I decided at once upon a somewhat desperate course. I turned Diaz about, and charged down upon the peccaries with a yell.
“This stratagem appeared exactly to my horse’s taste. In fact, his attitude made me rather uncomfortable. He seemed suddenly distraught. He gave several short whinnying cries of challenge or defiance, and rushed on with his mouth wide open and his hips rolled back in a fashion that made him look fiendish. My design was to swing myself from the saddle into the tree that overhung the trail, and so give Diaz a chance to run away, when free of my weight. But Diaz seemed bent on carrying the war into the enemy’s country.
“I took one more shot at the peccaries, who seemed no whit dismayed by the onset of Diaz. I dropped my rifle, and kicked my feet out of the stirrups. By this time we were under the tree, and the peccaries with wild squeals were leaping upon us. I had just succeeded in grasping a branch above my head, and was swinging myself up, when I saw Diaz spring into the air, and come down with his forefeet upon one of the grunting herd. The brute’s back was broken. Almost in the same instant my brave steed’s teeth had made short work of another peccary; but his flanks were streaming with blood, and the dauntless animals were literally climbing upon him and ripping his hide with their short, keen tusks. I emptied my revolvers rapidly, and half a dozen animals dropped; but this made no appreciable difference in their numbers. Meanwhile Diaz had gathered himself together, and then, lashing out desperately before and behind, had shaken himself free. He sprang clear of the pack, and galloped off up the trail toward the mountains.
“The peccaries pursued him but a few paces, and then returned to besiege my tree of refuge, giving me an excellent opportunity for revolver practice. As I was refilling my emptied chambers, I heard a snorting screech coming down the trail; and there to my amazement was Diaz returning to the charge. But could that terrible-looking beast be my gentle Diaz? His eyes seemed like blazing coals, and his great jaws were dripping with blood. The peccaries darted joyously into the fray, but Diaz went right through and over them like a whirlwind, mangling I know not how many in his course, and disappeared down the trail on the homeward road. His charge had been murderous, but there were still plenty of my adversaries left to make my beleaguerment all too effective. I gazed wistfully after my heroic horse, and then, perched securely astride a branch, I continued my revolver practice. The peccaries, never heeding the diminution of their ranks, and disdaining to notice their wounds, kept scrambling on one another’s shoulders, and thrusting their malignant snouts high into the air in the hope of coming at me and satiating their revenge.
“I emptied My Revolvers rapidly, and half a dozen Animals dropped.” Page 94.
“In the course of half an hour my little stock of cartridges, used deliberately and effectively, was gone; but so, as I congratulated myself, were most of the peccaries. There were still half a dozen, however; and these, as far as my imprisonment was concerned, were as bad as fourscore. These were incorruptible jailers; and I feared lest their ceaseless, angry cries might summon another herd to their assistance. When a couple of hours had passed I grew deeply disgusted, and began to plan my camping arrangements for the night.
“In the act of tying some branches together to make myself a safe couch, I caught the welcome sound of voices approaching. It was my party out in search of me. The arrival of Diaz, torn, bloody-mouthed, and in a wild excitement, had, of course, given them a terrible alarm; and they had set off without delay, hardly expecting to find me alive. A few shots from their rifles broke up the siege, and the meagre remnant of the peccaries fled into the swamps. When I got back to camp I found that none of the peons dared to do anything for Diaz, or even to approach him, he was so furious and so erratic. To me he was submissive, though with an effort. I dressed his wounds, and gave him a heavy dose of aloes, and in a day or two he was himself again. But I believe he was on the verge of going mad.”
When Magnus ceased I murmured, “I only hope your uncle’s adventures will last right through this trip.”
“And now,” said Sam, “we’ll call on Queerman for something of a tender and idyllic tone; eh, Queerman?”